1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to ion vapor generation and to improved devices for generating ion vapors. The invention has particular utility in combustion enhancement of furnaces using oil, gas, coal, wood and the like fuels, and to combustion enhancement of internal combustion engines using gasoline, diesel oil and/or LNG, propane or butane gas and the like fuels, and will be described in connection with such utility, although other utilities including, for example, the field of health for control of infectious airborne contaminants, irritants to breathing and odors in the air are contemplated.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
The presence of measurable amounts of water vapor is known to have a catalytic effect on improving the efficiency of fuel consumption in various combustion processes as is described in Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition, at page 1501. For many years, bubbling vapor generators have been applied successfully on internal combustion engines. During the last several years improvements have been made in bubbling vapor generators for heating apparatus and related combustion furnace applications. The precise phenomenology by which negative ions enhanced combustion has not been fully understood. Further, the mechanism by which negative ions are liberated from a liquid including H.sub.2 O, and why the bubbling process functioned better than other methods, is still unknown. However, numerous tests and commercial use of the inventor's earlier bubbling ion vapor generator, has demonstrated the benefits of the presence of a source of negative ion vapor to combustion processes. A research report of the inventor's prior bubble ion vapor technology is given in Nelson, K. L. et al, "Augmentation of Gas-Phase Combustion by Bubbling Combustion Air Through Air", Proceedings of Alternative Energy Sources IV; Hydrocarbon Technology Environment (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Vol 6, 1982, pp 273-289. See also Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,862,819, 4,016,837 and 4,410,467. Further, the beneficial reduction of odors in the air and reduction of airborne irritants to breathing have been experienced by such use. Confirmation of the benefits derived from negative ion vapor to several human health related areas, such as retarding the presence of bacteria and resulting infection, is documented in Soyka, Fred et al The Ion Effect; NY, Bantam Books, 1977, with additional references given in the bibliography.